Yep Yankee, the 'stuff' that was in the house was so hoarded you couldn't even see the floor or ANY furniture or appliances. The Niece came out twice, took a few little things like some china, knick knacks, a few books and picture albums. Not nearly all he had OH and of course she took his almost new Ford SUV. Drove off with it. Dunno if she gave it away or sold it or drove it back to South Carolina. She never came back and it's been 2 years.

The Hazardous Materials guys tagged the house after discovering major levels of Mercury (spilled by Bad Gal probably on purpose) but there were still GALLON jugs of it in there. They also found jars of RADIUM paint for watch dials. Enough to render this place a danger to anyone spending any amount of time in there. They said IF the place sold, ALL the contents would have to be gathered and disposed of by a licensed hazardous materials business and the entire house cleaned and then retested.

One can only surmise how much each of the 'looters' and Bad Gal has been exposed to. Casual contact for short periods is fine, but long term would pose a very real health hazard. The doors still have a warning prominently posted about this.

So all the 'stuff' which the Niece didn't want to mess with is now scattered all over the county. I'd be scared to touch any of it without cleaning it thoroughly. Unsuspecting people who bought all this junk are not aware of the dangers, but who knows, maybe it's not that bad.

Donating wasn't an option, so yeah, those who are selling it for their own purposes (mostly to buy crack and heroin) are reaping the benefits. IF someone would completely clean out the place, it would be nice. I don't think that's going to happen since the hoard was major. Lots of clothes and papers, and all sorts of yukky stuff still there.

The house is in terrible shape. Rotted wood outside, all windows just about falling out (wood framed from 1932). Termites, water damage from leaking pipes, no sewer as bathrooms are backed up (septic tank) and non-usable. Wallpaper peeling down from the top and looking like a haunted house. Carpets so worn that all that remains is the cross threads and no nap at all. Asphalt tile floor worn through with holes all over. Hardwood, ditto. AND Bad Gal and her friends have chopped holes in walls and the floor looking for the 'lost treasure'. The hole in the bedroom floor is big enough to allow access to the house from UNDER the crawlspace. What a mess.

We are all hoping the place just catches on fire and we will be done with it.

Couldn't the city just bulldoze it and bury the junk real deep and plant trees and fence it off but leave space so animals can get in and out. It would lend some oxygen in the air and get rid of the creeps. However I would miss the good reading installments.

Having worked in environmental enforcement, no, you can't bury the junk. It would all have to be properly contained and disposed of as hazardous waste... a very expensive proposition. Got to protect our groundwater resources!

Burning would be almost worse as it would disperse all the hazardous materials in the smoke and ash far and wide.

I know several neighbors who would be willing to rent the bull dozer. I even know some who are willing to toss a match in there, but then WE would be arrested and not the real criminals. Such a mess. Keeps us all busy. I'm trying NOT to look over there, but sometimes it just can't be ignored. I wish that Niece, who is in full control of the Estate now, would do SOMETHING! Taxes are now a month overdue. I don't think she intends to pay them. Too bad it takes FIVE full years before the city will confiscate the property for non-payment of taxes.

With all the toxic material still in the house, and possible lead paint because of the age of the house, even demolishing the house would require a hazardous removal contractor.

You hit the nail on the head Homer. Hazmat guy told me that BEFORE anyone would be able to inhabit that house, even if they paid in full in cash, etc., Hazmat would have to come in and make sure it was totally safe. AND yup, it would require a certified, qualified, 'cleanup' crew to do it all. Could be why the Niece isn't anxious to do anything with it. SHE would have to foot the cost (or rather the 'estate' would and probably eat up any profit that would be there. However, just the LAND, a nice corner lot of good size would be well worth it. Still should be a good sum of money left even after all the cleanup.

I really think, the family is washing their hands of it, wants the city to take it and then all those costs are against the Estate which has NOTHING in it. Sounds like a plan to me.

So I spent all yesterday watching and recording the empty house. Yes, I'm still a bit hooked. No big deal now since I care less and less. Some 'shopper' had left a huge 'air purifier' unit sitting near the fence (tucked in tight) along with a huge hawser. Not sure of the spelling but it's that huge rope they tie up big ships with. And what looked like a very old miner's lamp minus the glass. Watched all day, all night, got up at 2:30am and it was still there. Started recording over, heard driveway alarms go off, switched over to see what critter was approaching (gray cat) and promptly fell asleep WITHOUT switching the recording back to the empty house! Hate myself as of course, the stuff is gone this morning. Darn darn. If I don't shape up, I'm going to lose my detective's badge! I really wanted to see who picked up the stuff that obviously was left for them or just wouldn't fit in the load from the night before. Sigh.

Saw a huge U-Haul truck with trailer over there yesterday morning and was hoping that they had come to clean out the place. Turns out it wasn't anyone who was looting. Gotta put up bigger 'FREE STUFF-Grab all you want, the police don't care' signs.

Yeah if you don't shape up I'll just have to take over your job. you know how acreage runs -narrow at the street but very deep. Well, at some time the owners sold the south east corner to a lady who built and opened a pre school - a really small piece of land and building. The bank foreclosed on the last owner and she is gone but in the front yard is a lawnmower, bbq and refrigerator and the 1st thing I thought of -they are looting just like on G'Boomers. I was wrong though as nothing touched. boo hoo

Never fear Yankee, I'll just post that address on the old guy's house and maybe my looters will fly to your area and help you out.

Oh wow! I just looked up your little corner of the world and it's so in the middle of nowhere. Wow. Must be nice to have limited neighbors, but a real 'trip' when you have to get to the store. I used to live in a town of 17000 and I thought THAT was small. One square mile literally, and everyone knew practically everyone. Ohhhh to be in a remote location where you can have peace and quiet. Ahhhhhh.

Go ahead Sorta, but don't tell them I have a BB gun and a sling shot. Actually it would be kinda fun watching the progress. And watching them ruuuun. Sorta did you research Lexington or Blue Branch. Blue Branch is named after a branch off some river. In NY we called them streams but they call it a river here.

I looked at Lexington, but seems Blue Branch looks even smaller?

You got it!!!!! Look up Jackson's Store and I'm about 4 or so houses south on the same side. Mine is the totally wooded area. If you look close you may see the corner that was sold. you will see 2 ponds and on my south side is the neighbor's very long driveway. Good hunting. The round thing in the back was my hunter jumper training ring.

I found YOU! You're not kidding about being 'wooded'. Wow! I'd love all those trees. Nice open areas, lots of land, SPACE around you. Awesome. Amazing how I just typed 'Jackson's Store' and up it came on Google Maps. So easy. But probably not enough 'loot' in the whole area to satisfy the thieves around here. I guess that's a good thing.

Tonight should be another good night for 'shopping' here. A suspicious pickup truck was circling last night. I'm betting that's the one who is the current shopper. Soon the entire place will be empty. Too bad they are ruining what was a lovely (but in need of TLC) 1932 house. Not worth much now unless you want to pour money into it with no return. I still hope the old guy is haunting it. He was a miserly guy and I think if he could, he would be 'overseeing' the criminals. Poor old Frank.

Ya know, you could spoil the spoils for those thieves by getting some skunk oil and apply a liberal dose all over the stuff left by the fence.

Well I don't have any skunk oil, how about I rub a real live skunk on the fence?

Actually, I've considered some tar or other sticky nasty stuff to rub on the fence tops where they always go over. At the very least it would ruin their clothing. Then again, they probably don't care, given the fact they are willing to go into a totally hoarded, messy, yukky, dusty, rat or mouse infested, most likely dangerous to your health, house. They just see a quick buck and more drugs to buy.

Soon it will be empty if they keep up the pace and then we will only have to deal with squatters or kids having parties. I'm still voting for a dead body in there. Taxes STILL not paid and are past due by a month now. I'm pretty sure she intends not to pay anything having to do with the house. Probably just waiting for the city to do a clean up, send her a bill and if she doesn't sell the house, there is ZERO in the estate that they can take except the house, which is actually going to bring in about 300,000 IF she ever gets in gear and sells it. Even with charges and liens and clean up fees, there will still be a load left to split with the relatives. Dunno why she's not doing anything, except that the old guy's family is contentious and nobody speaks to anybody. 2 living brothers, one sister, then this Niece who is the daughter of the brother who, according to the old guy 'stole my gun collection'. He never spoke to him or the rest of the family since 1960 something! Long time to hold a grudge. I'm just musing that the entire family is like him. The Niece sure wasn't very friendly if that's any indication.

Lots of action the past few days, little stuff strewn about like before, walkers stopping by to gather a few little items. Can't fault them, it's right there for the taking. I consider it litter abatement.

So thanks to Ana for the excitement that happened early this morning and then again at 10:00 am. All your doing Ana.

FIVE O'clock AM this morning, got up to go potty and saw blinking lights up the block. Looked out and saw 4 police cars coming in from different directions over 10 minutes. The first blinker must have been the first car. I stayed up, shivering in the cold for an hour, watching the action. From what I can tell, someone was in the old guy's house OR had come out of it and gotten into a car next door on the street. Police were all over a black SUV which eventually got towed away. Never saw that one over there in the past.

In the midst of the blinking police lights, one car drove over to the side street and started spotlighting the house. Really doing a big job of it. All over the house and yard and the houses next door. Then he got out, went over to the house and walked around the entire place, in and out of the yard with his flashlight AND taking PICTURES. Lots of flashes. Probably took about 20 or more shots over there.

Just before that happened, I saw flashes around the area of the car that got towed. Someone wanted to document something. Never saw that many pictures and certainly not by the police.

I walked over later in the morning and found that the double driveway gate with a huge sturdy lock had been breached by actually removing the gate from the side post! It was open and hanging loose. A small pile of 'stuff' was spilling out from under the big sliding garage door.

So I don't really know what happened, but I suspect that someone got arrested, at least got their car towed for some reason having to do with the empty house. Strange since they didn't seem to care before. I talked to the nearest neighbor, who speaks little English and she said, 'early morning, happen' but couldn't say anything more about it. The car that got towed was in front of their house and I know they saw something since they go to work at 5:00 am every day. Might have been them who called the police.

So thanks Ana, for the really awesome present. Good that you could plan it for the Full Moon too. Fantastic.

THEN later, I drove to the store and a small white car was sideways in a driveway against the garage door there, with a small black car nosed into it. Strange positions. Police were there for over an hour and finally the white car got towed away. Damage to garage door too. From what I could see, it was a traffic accident on the street and both vehicles ended up IN the driveway of the house (neither car belonged there). Lots of fun. I can hardly wait to see what else happens with the moon livening it up around here.

You are very welcome Sorta! Maybe they deliberately drove the cars into the building. They steal them in the city here and use them for smash and grabs.

Ana

Same here Ana. Only they use huge pickup trucks and drag away the ATM's with them. Very fun to see on the security cameras. I especially enjoy the ones that haven't got a full brain between them. Always fun to see them dragging an ATM with a chain down the street.

Aha! An update from the neighbor across and up the side street. Her husband JUST told her about the big deal which happened a few days ago. Duh. She's mad at him now. Anyway, seems he was up when the police deal went on and saw 3 people handcuffed and sitting on the curb. He also saw them tow away a 'newer' Ford Expedition. From all the info and the activity we all 'think' that this was a police 'chase' which ended up at the house with the Ford pulling in to the curb (in the wrong direction) and the occupants running into and through the old guy's yard and house. The neighbor guy actually saw the police go INTO the house this time. They never do even though the door is wide open. So it appears the whole thing wasn't directly related to looting, but that the arrested people might have known the house or been looters and thought it was a good place to hide. Dunno if anyone actually was arrested, but the vehicle was impounded. Possibly involved drugs as we all know now that they wouldn't tow a car just for the looting. Lots of cars they could have towed in the past and not one was. Wish I knew who was involved.

Other news from the husband to the wife. He caught a guy in the yard hiding under the huge pepper tree last week, and confronted him. The guy said he was 'watching' the house because Mike (the caretaker and friend) was snooping around, and that Mike had KILLED Frank (the old guy) by hitting him over the head and causing him to have a stroke. HUH? What a story! I'm positive this was a friend of Bad Gal, since Mike is the one who called the police and ambulance when he couldn't get the old guy to open the door (were supposed to go to the casino that day) and saw him lying on the floor. He had been there about 3 days they figure, and was disoriented and threatening to shoot anyone who came in. He had a gun next to him which the police confiscated after BREAKING down the door to get to him. Frank (old guy) never had a stroke, he had a head injury from the fall.

Now I'm pretty sure that Bad Gal is making up another story just to scare poor Mike. He's a gentle soul, has emotional and learning problems from birth, and scares easily and agonizes about every little thing. I'm not going to tell him THIS story about him murdering his best friend. Nope. Was bad enough with the assault stuff from last month when he stupidly took some stray girl home with him from the bar for the night. Her idea. Then she goes to the police. He called me 3 times a day for 2 weeks while this one played out. Bad Gal is really BAD.